1. Astuce.
2. Ficelle.
3. Stratagème.
The quality of being adroit in taking unfair advantage.
ETYM From Old Fren. hourd, hourt, barrier, palisade, of German or Dutch origin; cf. Dutch horde hurdle, fence, German horde, hürde; akin to Eng. hurdle. Related to Hurdle.
The act of one who hoards.
ETYM Old Fren. deceit, desçait, decept (cf. deceite, deçoite), from Latin deceptus deception, from decipere. Related to Deceive.
1. An attempt or disposition to deceive or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud.
2. Any trick, collusion, contrivance, false representation, or underhand practice, used to defraud another. When injury is thereby effected, an action of deceit; SYN. Deception; fraud; imposition; duplicity.
ETYM French déception, Latin deceptio, from decipere, deceptum. Related to Deceive.
The act of deceiving; SYN. deceit, dissembling, dissimulation.
In warfare, the use of dummies, decoys, and electronics to trick the enemy into believing in and preparing to defend against armies that do not exist.
The Allied ground offensive in the 1991 Gulf War was launched 160 km/100 mi W of where the Iraqi army was led to believe it would take place. The deception techniques used completely wrong-footed the Iraqi forces.
ETYM Prov. Eng. and Scot.
A maneuver in a game or conversation; SYN. gambit, stratagem.
ETYM French, from Old Fren. reüser, rehuser, to turn aside, to shuffle, retreat, from Latin recusare to refuse; pref. re- again + causa cause. Related to Cause, Recusant.
A deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture); SYN. artifice.
ETYM Latin schema a rhetorical figure, a shape, figure, manner, Greek skema, form, shape, outline, plan, from echein to have or hold; cf. Skr. sah to be victorious, to endure, as. sige victory, German sieg. Cf. Epoch, Hectic, School.
An elaborate and systematic plan of action; SYN. strategy.
ETYM Dutch trek a pull, or drawing, a trick, trekken to draw; akin to lg. trekken, Mid. High Germ. trecken, trechen, Dan. traekke, and OFries. trekka. Related to Track, Trachery, Trig, Trigger.
1. A cunning or deceitful action or device; SYN. fast one.
2. A period of work or duty.
3. An attempt to get one to do something foolish or imprudent.
ETYM Old Eng. wile, AS. wîl; cf. Icel. val, vael. Related to Guile.
(Homonym: while).
A trick or stratagem practiced for insnaring or deception; a sly, insidious; artifice; a beguilement; an allurement.
1. Retors.
2. (Familier) Roublard.
ETYM From Art.
Marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft.
ETYM AS. craeftig.
Marked by skill in deception; SYN. cunning, dodgy, foxy, guileful, knavish, slick, sly, tricksy, tricky, wily.
ETYM French gambit, cf. Italian gambitto gambit, a tripping up. Related to Gambol.
1. A chess move early in the game in which the player sacrifices minor pieces in order to obtain an advantageous position.
2. An opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker; SYN. ploy.